Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. Culture: Nepal (Kathmandu Valley). Dimensions: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm); W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); D. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm); Wt. 5 lbs (2.3 kg). Date: 10th century.
The embodiment of Buddhist compassion grants boons to devotees with his extended hand. He wears a spectacular tripartite diadem, jewelry, and a low-slung sash with fluted folds that extend to the ground. Stylistically, this image represents a continuation of conventions developed in the late Lichhavi era (8th-9th century).